Columbarium having self-aligning doors

ABSTRACT

A self-aligning columbarium niche door system has an array of viewing niches. Each niche has a vertical slot on one side wall and a vertical notch with a door receiving face at an outer end of the other side wall. The transparent niche door slides on the niche floor to install and remove. One side edge of the door slides into a the vertical notch and the other side edge against the door receiving face. A single fastener removably secures the door to a bracket or threaded insert on the second side wall. The niche door rests on the niche floor to self-align the door.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the storage of cremated remains and particularly to a columbarium cabinet or vault for storing ash-holding urns which comprises a cabinet or vault having a frame that creates a plurality of individual niches, and a transparent or stone door for each niche; the niche door resting on the floor of each niche and sliding with one edge of the door inserting into a vertical slot in the frame around the opening on one side and the other side edge of the door closing against a protruding vertical edge on the opposite side of the frame and a door fastener screwing into a threaded receiver in or on the niche wall.

2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

There are several ways in which cremated remains are stored for memorializing the individual. Urns containing the ashes are usually stored indoors in a repository structure having niches formed in or along the walls of a building. The decorative urns are placed in the niches and transparent covers are placed over the openings of the niches for viewing purposes. Such an urn repository is referred to as a columbarium. Most comprise transparent niche covers which are fastened to the frame using a threaded fastener at each corner, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,846,432, issued to Moore. Prior art columbarium niche doors require laborious adjustment to get the niche doors to align with the standard “floating” design.

U.S. Patent Application #20040177570, published Sep. 16, 2004 by Stienwand, claims a columbarium with improved security. The columbarium apparatus comprises a columbarium structure defining a plurality of niches. Each niche has an open end, and a horizontal ledge extends from the structure near the bottom wall of each niche. An inside door is configured to cover the open end of the niche and is attached by a first set of tamper resistant hardware, and an outside door is configured to cover the inside door and conceal the first set of tamper proof hardware, and is attached by a second set of tamper resistant hardware such that an inner face of the outer door is supported by an outer face of the inside door, and such that a lower edge of the outside door is supported by the ledge. A vertical channel is provided to facilitate attachment of the outside doors.

U.S. Patent Application #20070033885, published Feb. 15, 2007 by Freeman, describes columbarium with a concealed panel locking mechanism which may be used to secure the contents of a container in a manner that is not discernable to an uninformed individual viewing the container. In one exemplary embodiment, the locking mechanism includes one or more channels formed into a central area of a panel of material. A locking member within the one or more channels is movable along the channel to either engage or disengage the locking member from a recess formed in a side wall of the container. In one embodiment, the locking member is not physically accessible from outside the channel by a human being but is formed from a ferromagnetic material that is moved within the channel by a magnetic force generated by a suitable strength magnetic key placed on the outside surface of the panel.

U.S. Patent Application #20020133360, published Sep. 19, 2002 by Hill, discloses a method of raising funds and storing and displaying in a secure fashion a variable plurality of cremation storage vessels has the steps of a provider providing a storage and display case to an entity. The storage and display case retains in a secure fashion a plurality of cremation storage vessels. The storage and display case has a plurality of hollow cavities, each having an opening on a front face of the cavity; defined interior storage and display positions for said cremation storage vessels and other personal memorabilia; a storage vessel retainer disposed adjacent to the display positions for locking vessels disposed in those display positions; a decorative face block attachable with said front face of the cavities. The method continues by reserving and selling said cavities by the entity to donors and having an agreement between said provider and the entity that a specified portion of funds raised through said selling of said cavities revert to the provider.

U.S. Patent Application #20070209172, published Sep. 13, 2007 by Krawczyk, indicates a keepsake niche housing for storing a number of containers for partial cremation remains, the housing including: a frame having a number of compartments, each compartment having containment walls and an access opening, a shutter mounting surface disposed adjacent each access opening; and a number of removable shutters each adapted for individual mounting on each shutter mounting surface over each opening.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,076,292, issued Feb. 5, 1963 to Arbogast, is for a concrete frame for crematory niches, each niche having a transparent door connected to the frame by a bolt transpiercing the frame outside the periphery of the glass door and threaded into the bore of an anchor bracket.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,578,323, issued Jun. 17, 2003 to Zartman, shows a columbarium suitable for indoor or outdoor placement includes a plurality of niche units carried by a supporting framework. The niche units are independently assembleable and disassembleable from the supporting framework as often as desired prior to activation but, upon activation, being permanently connected to the framework, each niche unit having means for creating a non-air atmosphere within the niche unit upon activation of the niche unit, each niche unit having four seals protecting the niche unit interior.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,171,733, issued Feb. 6, 2007 to Min, claims a chest of cinerary urns which has a simple structure capable of allowing convenient placing of cinerary urns therein, while minimizing decay and degradation of cremated remains stored in the placed cinerary urns. The chest of cinerary urns includes a chest body having a plurality of urn receiving spaces, a plurality of cover plates detachably attached to the chest body to cover the urn receiving spaces, seal members each interposed between a portion of the chest body around the associated urn receiving space and the associated cover plate, hollow inlet members each protruded from an associated rear wall portion of the chest body, each of the inlet members communicating with the associated urn receiving space, valve mounting members each coupled to the associated inlet member, and injection valves each fitted in the associated valve mounting member, and centrally provided with an injection hole to allow gas to be injected through the injection hole into the associated inlet member.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,812, issued Mar. 23, 1993 to Eickhof, describes a columbarium utilizing a lightweight framework rather than poured concrete for construction. The framework uses planar risers having brackets mounted thereon at the approximate height of each shelf of a niche. The brackets are used to support lightweight shelving which forms the top and bottom of the niches. The shelving also provides spacing and bracing to the overall framework. The risers are connected by tie rods extending horizontally through the risers and the brackets attached thereto. When tightened down, the risers and tie rods provide the required rigidity to the overall framework. The risers and tie rods thus form a lightweight frame connected horizontally and vertically. The shelves then are set over the tie rods onto the brackets so that the tie rods and brackets are hidden during usage. Each shelf has a front and rear lip so that backing or facing and any accompanying hardware may be attached. The rear of the niche is covered with a backing which covers a number of niches to seal the rear of the niche compartment. The niches have an inner cover which provides for a sealed compartment for storing the urn or other holding vessel. The front of the shelf further includes hardware for attaching a decorative stone facing or other material to provide a dignified outer appearance. It can be appreciated that the columbarium may be placed so as to be exposed to the elements, thereby requiring that the materials and hardware be weather-tight as the columbarium must endure long term usage.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,979,124, issued Nov. 9, 1999 to Branan, discloses a door system for columbarium. A columbarium is provided which includes a pair of end walls disposed along substantially vertical planes resting on a base and supporting a top forming an enclosed open area. A plurality of containers which are arranged in horizontal and vertical rows are positioned within the open area. A pair of side walls which are supported solely by the base are disposed along substantially vertical planes forming the outer limits of the open area. The side walls are formed of a plurality of removable cover plates which are arranged in horizontal and vertical rows which substantially correspond with the horizontal and vertical rows formed by the containers.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,841,726, issued Oct. 15, 1974 to Andros, puts forth an urn storage assembly for the interment of cremated remains. The assembly includes a plurality of storage units in a generally rectangular array. Each storage unit has a generally rectangular cross section. The assembly also includes a lattice-like framework comprising a plurality of intersecting, rigidly interconnected horizontal and vertical members, each member being adapted to engage and receive the wall portions of the storage units whereby the lattice-like framework forms a facial array for the storage assembly. The vertical and horizontal members are disposed along the plane defined by the outer edge of the wall portions. Removable cover plates attached to the lattice-like framework are provided for covering one end of each storage unit. The cover plates are held in place by support channels and guide channels in the frame.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,996,805, issued Mar. 5, 1991 to D'Alto, concerns a track mounted moveable mausoleum cover comprising at least one row of at least one crypt cover door moveable horizontally; the door has a front surface and a rear surface. A pocket wall comprises an end panel adjacent to the door and rotatable around a pivot point, between a closed position and an open position; the end panel having a front surface and a rear surface. A horizontal track is located a spaced distance behind the rear surface of the crypt cover door and a spaced distance behind the rear surface of the end panel; the track having a hollow guide rail. A connector means is contained within the hollow guide rail; and there is a means for mounting the connector means to the rear surface of the crypt cover door. The end panel in its closed position prevents horizontal movement of the moveable crypt cover door, and the end panel in its open position permitting horizontal movement of the moveable crypt cover door along the horizontal track to a location behind the rear surface of the end panel, in order to expose a crypt located behind the door.

What is needed is a self-aligning columbarium niche door system which is easily installed by a single person.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a columbarium niche door system wherein each niche door slides on an extending sliding shelf with one side edge of the niche door sliding into a vertical slot in a first side wall of the niche opening and the other side edge of the niche door sliding up against a protruding outward face in a notch on a second side wall of the niche opening and a single threaded fastener removably attaching the niche door to a receiving threaded opening in the second side opening for a self-aligning columbarium niche door system which is easily installed by a single person.

Another object of the present invention is the threaded fastener may be inserted into an L-shaped bracket attached to a side wall or a threaded insert in a door receiving face in a notch in the side wall.

One more object of the present invention is niche door is fabricated of a rectangular sheet of rigid transparent material.

In brief, the columbarium niche door system works on a very simple mechanism. There is a vertical dado or slot on one side of the niche opening. The door slides into the slot and is secured by one fastener on the other side of the niche opening. The bottom of the door rests on the bottom of the opening, and is therefore self-aligning.

The main advantages of this design are that:

-   (1) The door only requires one fastener to secure (other standard     designs use 2-4 fasteners). -   (2) By inserting the door into the slot and letting it rest on the     shelf formed by the bottom of the niche opening the door is     self-aligning (other competitive designs require laborious     adjustment to get doors to align with the standard “floating”     design). -   (3) The slot makes single person installation markedly easier by     allowing one end of the door to be inserted into the slot to take     the weight of the door (larger doors can weigh 60 to 100 lbs).

Another advantage of the present invention is that the door is removably installed, and only one fastener makes installing and reopening the niche door much easier.

One more advantage of the present invention is that the system provides the means to keep all of the front facings of the columbarium uniform in thickness.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other details of my invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are furnished only by way of illustration and not in limitation of the invention, and in which drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partial top plan view of a front portion of a columbarium niche showing the top of the niche door of the present invention attached by a threaded fastener to an angle bracket attached to the side wall of the niche;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the columbarium niche of FIG. 1 showing the niche door of the present invention attached by a threaded fastener to an angle bracket attached to the side wall of the niche;

FIG. 3 is a partial top plan view of a front portion of a columbarium niche showing the top of the niche door of the present invention attached by a threaded fastener to a threaded insert in a vertical door receiving face in a notch of a wide side wall of the niche;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the columbarium niche of FIG. 4 showing the niche door of the present invention attached by a threaded fastener to a threaded insert in a vertical door receiving face in a notch of a wide side wall of the niche;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the columbarium with the niche door system of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In FIGS. 1-5, an easy mount, self-aligning niche door system 10 for a columbarium 40 provides a niche door 20 which slides on a forward shelf of a niche floor 34A to insert one side edge of the door in a vertical slot 33 in a first side wall 32A and slide the other side edge of the niche door against a door receiving facing 36 and 36A in a second side wall with a single threaded fastener 21 securing the niche door 20 closed.

The system 10 comprises a niche door 20 for enclosing a columbarium niche 30. The niche door is fabricated of a rectangular sheet of stone or of a rigid transparent material for viewing a niche interior with the niche door closed. The niche door 20 comprises a flat smooth bottom edge face, a smooth flat top edge face, a first side edge comprising a flat smooth vertical first side edge face and a flat smooth adjoining orthogonal vertical first side front surface and a flat smooth adjoining orthogonal vertical first side back surface, a second side edge comprising a flat smooth vertical second side edge face having a flat smooth adjoining orthogonal vertical second side back surface and means for removably securing the niche door to a front of a columbarium niche in the second side edge of the niche door.

In FIG. 5, a columbarium comprises an array of niches 30 therein for displaying an urn containing ashes. FIGS. 2 and 4 show each of the niches 30 defined by a back wall 31 and two vertical side walls 32A and 32B contacting the back wall 31, a ceiling 34B contacting the back wall 31 and two side walls 32A and 32B, a floor 34A contacting the back wall 31 and the two side walls 32A and 32B/32BT. The floor 34A comprises a smooth flat horizontal surface orthogonal to the two side walls 32A and 32B/32BT, a portion of the floor 34A extending forward beyond a front end of the two side walls 32A and 32B/32BT to form a smooth flat sliding shelf for receiving the niche door 20 slidably thereon, allowing the niche door 20 to slide into place between the two side walls 32A and 32B/32BT. In FIGS. 2, 4, and 5, the niche front opening is defined by the two side walls 32A and 32B/32BT, the ceiling 34B, and the floor 34A of the niche. FIGS. 2 and 4 show a vertical slot 33 in a first side wall 32A recessed from the front opening to receive the first side edge of the transparent niche door 20 slidably inserted within the vertical slot 33. FIGS. 2 and 4 also show a second side wall 32B (FIG. 2) and 32BT (FIG. 4) having a vertical door receiving notch with a door receiving face 36 and 36A therein to receive the second side edge of the niche door 20 in the door receiving notch. The door receiving face 36 and 36A is a flat smooth vertical surface perpendicular to the second side wall 32B and 32BT, respectively, and faces outwardly to receive the second side edge back surface of the niche door 20 to rest against the door receiving face 36 and 36A with the niche door is a closed position.

The niche door is easily mounted by sliding the bottom edge of the niche door 20 on the sliding shelf of the niche floor 34 to slide the first side edge of the niche door in the vertical slot 33 of the first niche wall and slide the second side edge of the niche door and removably secure it to the door receiving face 36 and 36A of the second side wall 32B and 32BT. The bottom edge face of the niche door rests on the floor 34 of the niche so that the niche door 20 is automatically aligned with the niche front opening by resting on the niche floor 34 for a self-aligning fast mounting columbarium niche door system 10.

In FIGS. 1-4, the means for removably securing the niche door 20 to the front opening of the columbarium niche 30 comprises at least one opening 37 in the niche door between the second side front surface of the door and the second side back surface of the door, spaced apart from the second side edge face to receive a means for fastening the niche door 20 to the niche opening therethrough. Preferably a single removable fastener 21 is inserted through a single door opening 37, and the fastener 21 is removably secured to the receiving means 35 and 35A on the second side wall 32B and 32BT, respectively.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, the receiving means comprises at least one L-shaped bracket 35 attached to the second side wall 32B adjacent to the door receiving notch 36, each L-shaped bracket 35 having a threaded opening therethrough to receive a threaded fastener 21 inserted through the at least one opening 37 in the niche door 20. The system preferably comprises a single L-shaped bracket 35 and single threaded fastener for ease of installation and removal of the niche door.

In FIGS. 3 and 4, s the receiving means comprises at least one threaded insert 35A attached to the thick second side wall 32BT in the door receiving face 36A of the door receiving notch, each threaded insert 35A receiving a threaded fastener 21 inserted through the at least one opening 37 in the niche door 20. The system preferably comprises a single threaded insert 35A attached to the thick second side wall 32BT in the door receiving face 36A of the door receiving notch, and single threaded fastener for ease of installation and removal of the niche door.

FIG. 5 shows the notches cut so that the vertical front facing of the walls 41V are all equal in thickness and are also all equal to the thickness of the horizontal facings of the floors/ceilings 41H. The floor 34A of one niche is the ceiling 34B of the niche below it.

In use, the columbarium niche door system 10 works on a very simple mechanism. There is a vertical dado or slot 33 on one side 32A of the niche 30 opening. The door 20 slides into the slot 33 and is secured by at least one threaded fastener 21 on the other side 32B and 32BT of the niche opening 30. The bottom of the door 20 rests on the niche floor 34A on the bottom of the opening so that the niche door slides easily into place and the niche door is self-aligned by contact with the niche floor.

The main advantages of this design are that: (1) the door only requires one fastener 21 to secure the door (other standard designs use 2-4 fasteners); (2) by inserting the door 20 into the slot 33 and letting it rest on the shelf formed by the bottom 34A of the niche opening, the door is self-aligning (other competitive designs require laborious adjustment to get doors to align with the standard “floating” design); (3) the slot makes single person installation markedly easier by allowing one end of the door 20 to be inserted into the slot 33 to take the weight of the door (larger doors can weigh 60 to 100 lbs).

It is understood that the preceding description is given merely by way of illustration and not in limitation of the invention and that various modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed. 

1. An easy mount niche door system for a columbarium, the system comprising: a niche door for enclosing a columbarium niche, the niche door fabricated of a rectangular sheet of rigid material, the niche door comprising a flat smooth bottom edge face, a smooth flat top edge face, a first side edge comprising a flat smooth vertical first side edge face and a flat smooth adjoining orthogonal vertical first side front surface and a flat smooth adjoining orthogonal vertical first side back surface, a second side edge comprising a flat smooth vertical second side edge face having a flat smooth adjoining orthogonal vertical second side back surface and means for removably securing the niche door to a front of a columbarium niche in the second side edge of the niche door; a columbarium comprising an array of niches therein for displaying an urn containing ashes, each of the niches defined by a back wall and two vertical side walls contacting the back wall, a ceiling contacting the back wall and two side walls, a floor contacting the back wall and the two side walls, the floor comprising a smooth flat horizontal surface orthogonal to the two side walls, a portion of the floor extending forward beyond a front end of the two side walls to form a smooth flat sliding shelf for receiving the niche door slidably thereon to allow the niche door to slide the niche door into place between the two side walls, and a niche front opening defined by the two side walls, the ceiling and the floor of the niche; a first side wall having a vertical slot in first side wall recessed from the front opening to receive the first side edge slidably inserted within the vertical slot; a second side wall having a vertical door receiving notch therein to receive the second side edge of the niche door in the door receiving notch, the door receiving notch having a flat smooth door receiving face perpendicular to the second side wall and facing outwardly to receive the second side edge back surface of the niche door resting against the door receiving face with the niche door is a closed position; and means for receiving the means for removably securing the niche door on the second side wall, so that the niche door is easily mounted by sliding on the sliding shelf of the niche floor and removably secured to the niche front opening with the first side edge of the niche door in the vertical slot of the first niche wall and the second side edge of the niche door removably secured in the door receiving notch of the second side wall, and the bottom edge face of the niche door resting on the floor of the niche, the niche door being automatically aligned with the niche front opening by resting on the niche floor for a self-aligning fast mounting columbarium niche door system.
 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for removably securing the niche door to the front opening of the columbarium niche comprises at least one opening between the second side front surface and the second side back surface spaced apart from the second side edge face to receive a means for fastening the niche door to the niche opening therethrough and at least one removable fastener inserted through the at least one opening, the at least one fastener removably secured to the receiving means on the second side wall.
 3. The system of claim 2 wherein the receiving means comprises at least one L-shaped bracket attached to the second side wall adjacent to the door receiving notch, each L-shaped bracket having a threaded opening therethrough to receive a threaded fastener inserted through the at least one opening in the niche door.
 4. The system of claim 3 wherein the receiving means comprises a single L-shaped bracket attached to the second side wall adjacent to the door receiving notch, the single L-shaped bracket having a threaded opening therethrough to receive a single threaded fastener inserted through a single opening in the niche door.
 5. The system of claim 2 wherein the receiving means comprises at least one threaded insert attached to the second side wall in the door receiving face of the door receiving notch, each threaded insert receiving a threaded fastener inserted through the at least one opening in the niche door.
 6. The system of claim 5 wherein the receiving means comprises a single threaded insert attached to the second side wall in the door receiving face of the door receiving notch, the single threaded insert receiving a single threaded fastener inserted through a single opening in the niche door.
 7. The system of claim 1 wherein the niche door is fabricated of transparent material for viewing a niche interior with the niche door closed.
 8. The system of claim 1 wherein the niche door is fabricated of stone material. 